Sunday, May 27, 2018

The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.Additional Participating Entity:Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; St. Louis, Missouri

BUTLER COUNTY, MISSOURI (KFVS) - A small plane has crashed in Butler County, Missouri on Sunday, May 27.According to Missouri State Highway Patrol, a crop duster crash on County Road 221 near County Road 220.The pilot was uninjured. Missouri State Highway Patrol officers have cleared the scene.The Federal Aviation Administration has been advised of the crash.Original article can be found here ➤ http://www.kfvs12.com

NTSB Identification: ERA18WA17314 CFR Non-U.S., Non-CommercialAccident occurred Tuesday, April 17, 2018 in Nova Esperanca, BrazilAircraft: BELL HELICOPTER 407, registration:Injuries: 4 Uninjured.The foreign authority was the source of this information.The government of Brazil has notified the NTSB of an accident involving a BELL 407 helicopter that occurred on April 17, 2018. The NTSB has appointed a U.S. Accredited Representative to assist the government of Brazil's investigation under the provisions of ICAO Annex 13.All investigative information will be released by the government of Brazil.

A graduating student from the JetBlue program from CAE Aviation Academy in Mesa, Arizona

Michelle Hynds was working at a security job seven years ago when she began to take flight lessons at an airport near Ventura, California.Ms. Hynds, 42, decided to make flying a career instead of a hobby. She gained experience at the controls, got a job piloting a propeller plane for a traffic reporter in Los Angeles and then went to work for a charter jet company. Now, she thinks she can move up to a regional airline, which would put her on a track for a job with one of the big United States carriers.“It’s the job seeker’s market,” she said. “I need them, for sure, but there’s so many companies that need me.”Thousands of pilots at the country’s largest carriers are nearing retirement, opening up opportunities for those, like Ms. Hynds, who pay up to $200,000 for the training necessary to advance as an aviator.Although big airlines can recruit qualified fliers by turning to smaller affiliates and other regional carriers the way major league ball clubs dip into the minors, some regional carriers are having trouble replenishing their own rosters.“I’ve never seen the industry be at this level of pilot demand,” said Kenneth P. Byrnes, the chairman of the flight training department at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s campus in Daytona Beach, Fla. The tighter market, he added, extended to flight instructors, who can earn more as airline pilots.

The education of an aspiring pilot starts on the ground, with courses in navigation, weather, aerodynamics and a number of other flight science disciplines.

Helane Becker, an airline analyst at the Cowen Group, said in a research note last year that about 22,000 pilots — about two in five — at the five largest domestic carriers would reach mandatory retirement age, 65, by 2026.The strengthening economy has also helped drive the increase in demand, with major airlines adding flights in some markets. At the same time, the supply of qualified fliers has dropped, as the stream of military aviators the big carriers have long relied on dwindles, and even the Air Force struggles to find pilots.Many aspiring pilots, drawn partly by wages that can top $300 an hour, want to end up at one of those big carriers. Doing so requires extensive training and years of practice — with good reason, as an April episode on a Southwest Airlines flight showed.An engine on the plane had a so-called uncontained failure, throwing off debris. One piece pierced a window, partially pulling a female passenger out through the hole. She later died. The accident might have been worse if Tammie Joe Shults, the former Navy pilot who was flying the plane, had not calmly steered it to a safe landing.Although the episode was unusual, pilots must be as calm under pressure as Ms. Shults was, said Mr. Byrnes of Embry-Riddle, where 1,830 undergraduates enrolled in the main pilot program at the university’s Florida and Arizona campuses last fall, the most since 2008.“We’re not building pilots per se,” he said. “I like to tell our students we’re training them to be decision makers who happen to know how to fly an airplane.”That training starts on the ground, with courses in navigation, weather, aerodynamics and other flight science disciplines. From there, the process of learning to physically fly a plane “starts with the very basics of how to taxi and use their radios,” said Thomas R. Lippincott, president and chief executive of Lufthansa Aviation Training U.S.A., which runs a flight school in Goodyear, Ariz. Some flight training also happens on the ground in immersive simulations that can be made to resemble situations that could be catastrophic in the air.Pilots with experience can move on to accumulating flight time in the kinds of jobs that Ms. Hynds has held. The next step is a job at a regional airline, some of which are affiliated with, and provide a pipeline to, major carriers.Some flight training also happens on the ground in immersive simulations that can be made to resemble situations that could be catastrophic in the air.Pilots with experience can move on to accumulating flight time in the kinds of jobs that Ms. Hynds has held. The next step is a job at a regional airline, some of which are affiliated with, and provide a pipeline to, major carriers.

CAE uses Falcon Field Airport to train student pilots. The airspace is open enough to give the trainees lots of room.

Despite the higher pay, the Regional Airline Association, a trade group in Washington, said its members were having trouble finding and keeping pilots.The group blamed a 2013 Federal Aviation Administration rule that increased to 1,500 from 250 the number of hours of flying a pilot needed to qualify to work as an airline first officer. The rule was adopted after a Colgan Air plane crashed near Buffalo in 2009, killing 50 people.Great Lakes Airlines, which mostly served smaller airports in Midwestern and Western states, cited a pilot shortage when it said in March that it was shutting down operations. The regional airline group’s president, Faye Malarkey Black, said afterward that the 2013 rule made it “incredibly difficult for new pilots to obtain the training and experience needed to take flight.” (When another small airline, Republic Airways, filed for bankruptcy in 2016, it said it, too, had been hurt by a shortage of pilots.)Pilots’ unions defend the new standard, saying it helps ensure the aviation industry’s track record of safety.Many mainline carriers are increasing their own recruiting and training efforts.Lufthansa has long operated the Arizona flight school now led by Mr. Lippincott, and some American airlines are emulating their German counterpart’s example, creating programs to recruit and train pilots with no previous experience.Envoy Air, a wholly owned regional subsidiary of American Airlines Group, gives signing bonuses of up to $45,000. It also offers its recruits what may be an even more significant benefit.Pilots who get hired by Envoy will be flying for American Airlines in five years, “no questions asked,” said Pedro Fábregas, the company’s president and chief executive. Many regional carriers that are part of larger airline consortiums use the same model.JetBlue, a carrier based in New York that does not have regional affiliates to draw from, initiated its Gateway Select program in 2016. Participants receive about two years of training, and then complete their flight hours by working for two years as instructors at CAE, an aeronautical school that is the airline’s partner in the program.“We thought there was a candidate pool out there that was untapped,” said Warren Christie, JetBlue’s senior vice president of safety, security and air operations. The program, he said, created a career opportunity for people “who might not have thought the industry was an option for them.”The first group of enrollees, which included a heavy-machine operator and an accountant who was looking for a career change, completed their flight training on April 23.American Airlines recently announced a similar program for training nonpilots. American’s Cadet Academy, which is separate from its regional subsidiaries’ recruiting efforts, started accepting applications in April.Not everyone believes that the looming retirements will generate a pilot shortage.Capt. Tim Canoll, president of the 60,000-member Air Line Pilots Association, said airlines did not have to replace every pilot who retired. Instead, he said, companies could use bigger jets to fly more passengers with fewer aviators, or could try to recruit people who were licensed to fly but not already working in the industry. Carriers that offered top-tier pay, advancement opportunities and other benefits did not have trouble recruiting, he said. “We don’t believe that exists,” he said of a shortfall. “We see clearly a free market operating within pilot labor.”Still, for many newcomers to the industry, moving up to a top position no longer seems out of reach.Riley Shipe, 23, graduated from Embry-Riddle in 2016 and built up his required hours by working as a flight instructor. He eventually took a position at Endeavor Air, a Delta Air Lines subsidiary, which puts him on track to eventually fly for Delta. He earned $60,000 in his first year, a figure that included a onetime $10,000 bonus.“You definitely feel like you have options,” Mr. Shipe said. The airlines, he added, “come to us at this point.”Story and photo gallery ➤ https://www.nytimes.com

Location: Santa Fe, NMAccident Number: CEN18FA192Date & Time: 05/25/2018, 1342 MDTRegistration: N79091Aircraft: BEECH D17SInjuries: 1 FatalFlight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Business On May 25, 2018, about 1342 mountain daylight time (all times referenced as mountain daylight time), a Beech D17S single-engine airplane, N79091, impacted terrain near Santa Fe, New Mexico. The commercial pilot was fatally injured, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was registered to and operated by Mid Continent Instrument Company, Inc., under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the business flight that departed Perryton/Ochiltree County Airport (PYX) about 1150 with the intended destination of Albuquerque International Sunport Airport (ABQ), Albuquerque, New Mexico.The operator reported that the pilot had departed Wichita, Kansas, earlier in the day and that he made a fuel stop at PYX before continuing to ABQ for a planned overnight stop. Fueling documentation established that the pilot purchased 39.32 gallons of 100 low-lead aviation fuel at 1035 after landing at PYX. According to preliminary aircraft radar track data, the airplane appeared on radar at 1152:23 about 1.5 nautical miles (nm) southwest of PYX and proceeded to climb to a cruise altitude of 10,500 ft mean sea level (msl) while on a direct track toward ABQ. The only communication the pilot had with air traffic control was when he requested visual flight rules (VFR) flight following with Albuquerque Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC). The airplane continued toward ABQ at 10,500 ft msl until 1340:11 when it entered a descent. The final radar track return was recorded at 1342:48 at 7,900 ft msl (650 feet above the ground). The final radar return was about 1.25 nm east-northeast of the accident site. An alert notice (ALNOT) was issued by air traffic control and a United States Air Force search-and-rescue helicopter crew located the wreckage about midnight.An onsite investigation was completed by inspectors with the FAA Albuquerque Flight Standards District Office. The FAA inspectors reported that the airplane impacted several pinon trees before coming to rest in a nose down attitude. The debris path was on a 233° magnetic heading. The airplane's recording hour meter indicated 1,351.1 hours. Both upper and lower wings sustained impact damage during the accident sequence. The left wing was heavily fragmented, and the right wing remained partially attached to the fuselage. The fuselage remained intact with relatively minor damage to the cabin and cockpit. The odor of 100 low-lead aviation fuel was observed at the accident site. The airplane's fuel tanks were ruptured during impact; however, there was residual fuel observed in the tanks. The carburetor accelerator pump discharged fuel when the throttle arm was moved. The engine oil supply tank ruptured during impact and there was oil covering the firewall, aft side of the engine, and portions of the windscreen.The wreckage was recovered from the accident site to facilitate a more detailed examination. A follow-up examination was completed by investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the airframe manufacturer. Flight control cable continuity was established from the individual control surfaces to the cockpit controls through several cable overload separations and cuts made during wreckage recovery. The flap actuator positions were consistent with the wing flaps being up at impact. The landing gear was in the fully retracted position. The cockpit fuel selector was positioned to draw fuel from the upper right fuel tank. There were no anomalies noted with the fuel selector valve during a functional test using compressed air. The outflow fuel line from the fuel selector valve contained residual fuel. The engine driven fuel pump rotated by hand and discharged a fluid that had an odor consistent with 100 low-lead aviation fuel. The engine crankshaft was rotated by applying electrical power to the starter motor. Internal engine and valve train continuity were confirmed as the engine crankshaft was rotated. Apart from engine cylinders no. 5 and 6, compression and suction were noted on all cylinders as the crankshaft was rotated. The no. 5 cylinder exhibited impact related damage to the valve push rods that precluded normal valve movement. The entire no. 6 cylinder head had separated from the cylinder barrel. Several pieces of the no. 6 cylinder head, including the exhaust valve, were recovered along the wreckage debris path at the accident site; however, the No. 6 cylinder intake valve was not recovered during the investigation. The spark plugs were removed and exhibited features consistent with normal engine operation. The No. 6 cylinder was removed to examine the internal engine components. There was ample engine oil throughout the engine and no evidence of oil starvation on the drivetrain components. Both magnetos provided spark while the engine crankshaft was rotated. The two-bladed propeller exhibited chordwise scratches and leading-edge damage on both blades. One propeller blade exhibited a S-shape bend and the other propeller was bent aft midspan.According to FAA records, the 53-year-old pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with single-engine land airplane and instrument airplane ratings. His most recent FAA second-class medical certificate was issued on August 24, 2017, with a limitation for corrective lenses. The pilot's flight history was established using his logbook. The final logbook entry was dated April 22, 2018, at which time he had 4,541 hours total flight time, all in single-engine airplanes. He had logged 4,503.7 hours as pilot-in-command, 236.1 hours at night, 34.1 hours in actual instrument meteorological conditions, and 62.3 hours in simulated instrument conditions. According to the airplane utilization log, the pilot flew an additional 50.9 hours since his final pilot logbook entry. The pilot had accumulated 1,316.7 hours in Beech D17S airplanes. The pilot's most recent flight review, as required by 14 CFR 61.56, was completed on March 6, 2018, in a Cessna 172.The 1941-model-year airplane, serial number 1020, was a biplane of fabric-covered steel tube and wood construction. The airplane was powered by a 450-horsepower, 9-cylinder, Pratt & Whitney R-985-AN-14B reciprocating radial engine, serial number JP-215473. The engine provided thrust through a constant-speed, two-blade, Hamilton Standard 2D30-6167A-15 propeller, serial number B3881. The four-seat airplane was equipped with a retractable conventional landing gear, wing flaps, and had a maximum allowable takeoff weight of 4,250 pounds. According to maintenance documentation, the last annual inspection was completed on December 31, 2017, at 4,828.7 total airframe hours. The airplane had accumulated 131.4 hours since the last annual inspection. The airframe and engine had accumulated a total service time of 4,960.1 hours when the accident occurred. The engine had accumulated 851.1 hours since being overhauled on April 24, 2014. A postaccident review of the maintenance records found no history of unresolved airworthiness issues.A postaccident review of available meteorological data established that day visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the accident site. The nearest aviation weather reporting station was located at Moriarty Airport (0E0) about 28 miles southwest of the accident site. At 1335, about 7 minutes before the accident, the 0E0 automated surface observing system reported: wind 310° at 4 knots, 10 miles surface visibility, a clear sky, temperature 31°C, dew point -4°C, and an altimeter setting 30.18 inches of mercury. Aircraft and Owner/Operator InformationAircraft Manufacturer: BEECHRegistration: N79091Model/Series: D17S D17SAircraft Category: AirplaneAmateur Built: NoOperator: Mid Continent Instrument Company, Inc.Operating Certificate(s) Held: None Meteorological Information and Flight PlanConditions at Accident Site: Visual ConditionsCondition of Light: DayObservation Facility, Elevation: 0E0, 6204 ft mslObservation Time: 1335 MDTDistance from Accident Site: 28 Nautical MilesTemperature/Dew Point: 31°C / -4°CLowest Cloud Condition: ClearWind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 4 knots, 310°Lowest Ceiling: NoneVisibility: 10 MilesAltimeter Setting: 30.18 inches HgType of Flight Plan Filed: VFRDeparture Point: Perryton, TX (PYX)Destination: Albuquerque, NM (ABQ)Wreckage and Impact InformationCrew Injuries: 1 FatalAircraft Damage: SubstantialPassenger Injuries: N/AAircraft Fire: NoneGround Injuries: N/AAircraft Explosion: NoneTotal Injuries: 1 FatalLatitude, Longitude: 35.293611, -105.581944 (est)

Those who may have information that might be relevant to the National Transportation Safety Board investigation may contact them by email eyewitnessreport@ntsb.gov, and any friends and family who want to contact investigators about the accident should email assistance@ntsb.gov.

Pat Napolitano, a Clovis pilot, works on his Beechcraft Staggerwing airplane, "Queenie." Napolitano's friends say Napolitano was piloting Queenie when it crashed near Sante Fe, New Mexico, on May 25, 2018. According to local reports, the pilot was killed.

In Memoriam: Patrick Napolitano

Johnette Napolitano

May 28, 2018

I received the news last night that my little brother Patrick went down in a vintage plane in New Mexico from Kansas on the way back to Fresno sometime between Friday night and Saturday, I guess. He was a very experienced pilot, a freak of a mechanical maintenance man, and more than anything else, just loved being up there all by himself.

“You know that song, “Sailing?” he’d said, back when he was working for MGM Grand airlines counting and measuring and checking and re-checking every bolt and screw. I remember how proud I was on the tarmac when we’d boarded the plane and he’d walked us out. That’s my brother, I’d said, and if he checked this plane, it’s definitely ok.

“That’s how I feel up there.”

“Whenever you get on a plane” he’d said to me sternly, “You need to ask for the 90 hour Stem-to-Stern Certificate. They have to check that plane stem to stern every 90 flying hours, or they can’t take off. With commercial schedules these days there’s no way they can do that. They have to show you that certificate.” I nodded, imagining the scene:

…a planeload of pissed-off New Yorkers. “Sorry, we can’t leave..” the annoyed pilot says over the P.A, “The bitch in 32B needs to see our ‘stem to stern‘ inspection certificate. Guess we’ll aaaaaallllll just have to wait a little looooonger!”

Patrick was a unique, eccentric kid. I mean, he lived in his own world. In our family at that point the sooner you found your own world to live in the better.

When he was really little, he became completely fascinated and obsessed by the trash truck. He’d stand by the window, eyes wide, and watch them ride in on the huge gray beast like warriors on a tank, the truck beeping and backing up and the huge jaw-like apparatus lowering and picking up the cans, the trash man supervising and assisting the whole operation masterfully from the ‘stern’, leaping from bumper to curb like a dancer, waving, beep beep beep until the mighty tank rumbled away.

Little Patrick must have been about 3 or 4 when he morphed into a trash truck. Purposefully striding around the house on his new little legs, his little right hand was on an imaginary stickshift as his little left hand confidently maneuvered an imaginary steering wheel. He’d ‘drive’ around the coffee table, stop, and carefully check his imaginary rear-view mirror before sounding a little ‘beep beep beep‘, back up, change course and head to the kitchen.

I remember him in being in this mode most of the time.

As soon as he could he started hanging out at the Van Nuys Airport before he was old enough to drive, riding with the Civil Air Patrol and working on finding a missing plane that had gone down decades earlier.

He found it.

If my brother were that hyper, mysterious little kid today, he’d be doped up within an inch of a walking coma.

We just knew there was something going on we didn’t understand but it was obviously very clear to him, so we just watched him go…marvelled at him, really.

I’m so moved to read today what I’m reading about him, seems that a lot of other people feel the same way I do.

As a kid, Pat Napolitano of Clovis had always dreamed of flying a Beechcraft Staggerwing aircraft. At 53, he had lived most of his life doing exactly that."Queenie," as his Beechcraft Model D aircraft was known, was his to fly.Napolitano was flying Queenie home from Kansas on Friday when the plane suddenly vanished from air-traffic control radar over New Mexico.According to Flight Aware, a website that tracks airplane paths in the United States, Napolitano's aircraft went down near Las Vegas, New Mexico, at 1:42 p.m. The last recorded takeoff had been from Perrytown, Texas, at 12:56 p.m., according to the tracking website.The Santa Fe New Mexican reported Sunday that an aircraft went down Friday near Ribera, a small town west of Santa Fe, killing the pilot. He had not yet been identified. But Napolitano's friends said Monday they know it was him.Napolitano was on his way to Chandler Executive Airport from Wichita, Kansas, where the plane that crashed was registered to a business. Morris Garcia, president of the Central Valley Aviation Association, said Queenie was owned by Mid-Continent Instruments and Avionics in Wichita. Napolitano was a sales manager for the company, according to Garcia, and flew the airplane for the business to meet with customers. Calls to Mid-Continent's office Monday were not returned due to the Memorial Day holiday.Garcia said Napolitano had a wife and a daughter, who live in Clovis. Garcia had known Napolitano for five years. Garcia has been flying airplanes for 63 years while Napolitano spent 33 years as a pilot, Garcia said.Queenie, the single-engine plane with space for five built in the early 1940s, was flown by Napolitano about 20 to 30 weeks per year, according to information provided by Garcia. He remembered Monday that Napolitano would often send him images from his flights, like sunsets, mountains and restaurants where he ate during his stops."He was just a great guy," Garcia recalled. "Pat was a bigger-than-life type of fellow who would go the extra mile to help anyone."There are few clues as to how or why Napolitano's aircraft went down. The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are believed to be investigating the accident.Garcia said a review of the tracking data made it appear that Napolitano had a "controlled descent" from about 10,000 feet. Garcia said Napolitano was known for his cautious aviation habits and, as a board member of the aviation association in Fresno, he promoted those practices to local pilots.Read more here: http://www.fresnobee.com

June 2014

Pat Napolitano, of Clovis, California, piloted in a 1941 Beechcraft Staggerwing owned by Todd Winter. It was the second year Napolitano attended the Round-Engine Round-Up held at Aero Mark. He is upgrading the “birdie” on the plane’s stabilizing wires.

A search crew in northeastern New Mexico discovered the body of a man in the wreckage of downed aircraft Friday night, a state police spokeswoman said.New Mexico State Police Lt. Elizabeth Armijo said the man’s body was transported to the Office of the Medical Investigator in Albuquerque, but did not have details of what may have led to the crash, and could not identify the victim. Lt. Elizabeth Armijo said the wreckage was spotted in the area near Rowe and Villanueva.A tail number on the airplane was registered to a business in Wichita, Kansas. No aircraft owner was listed. According to the Federal Aviation Administration registry, the plane was a single-engine aircraft.Armijo said state police was not in charge of the investigation. It was not immediately known if others were aboard the plane.Original article ➤ http://www.santafenewmexican.com

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Authorities say yesterday a pilot was traveling from Dodge City, Kansas when they crashed about 30 miles south of Las Vegas, New Mexico, which is near Albuquerque.

The plane is described as a Beechcraft Model 17.It is not known what caused it to go down. Officials say the pilot was the only one onboard the aircraft.Story and video ➤ http://abc30.com

Location: Omaha, NEAccident Number: CEN18FA193Date & Time: 05/27/2018, 0840 CDTRegistration: N263CEAircraft: BEECH P35Injuries: 2 FatalFlight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal On May 27, 2018, at 0840 central daylight time, a Beech P35 airplane, N263CE, impacted terrain following a loss of control during takeoff from Millard Airport (MLE), Omaha, Nebraska. The pilot and pilot-rated passenger sustained fatal injuries, and the airplane was destroyed by a post-impact fire. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan was filed. The flight was originating at the time of the accident, and the destination was unknown.According to witnesses, the airplane was attempting to takeoff from runway 30 (3,801 ft long by 75 ft wide). During the takeoff roll about 1,300 ft from the departure end of the runway, the airplane exited the left side of the runway, traveled through several grass medians between the runway and taxiways, onto several taxiway surfaces, and was briefly airborne during portions of the runway excursion. The airplane crossed the end of the runway, became airborne, and then appeared to stall. The airplane's right wing struck the terrain, the airplane cartwheeled, and a post-impact fire ensued. The witnesses stated the airplane looked like it was out of control during the takeoff sequence. During the runway excursion, the airplane impacted several runway and taxiway light structures.Surveillance video showed the airplane during portions of the attempted takeoff. The video images were consistent with the airplane exiting the runway and traveling through the grass medians and taxiway surfaces.Postaccident examination of the runway, grass medians, and taxiways showed markings consistent with the airplane's landing gear tires. The markings were consistent with the airplane departing the runway surface, traveling through the grass, and impacting runway and taxiway light structures. Portions of the grass and tire marks on the asphalt surfaces showed at various points during the takeoff roll; three tire tracks, two tire tracks, and one tire track.The main wreckage came to rest inverted about 200 feet from the end of runway 30. The main wreckage consisted of the fuselage, left and right wings, and empennage. The main wreckage was consumed and destroyed by fire. The cabin door, propeller, engine cowling, and glare shield were located between the runway and main wreckage and displayed minor thermal damage. The engine was separated from the airframe and came to rest adjacent to the right wing.At 0835, the MLE automated weather observing system reported the wind from 240 degrees at 7 knots, clear sky, and a temperature of 29 degrees C. The calculated density altitude was 3,150 ft. Aircraft and Owner/Operator InformationAircraft Manufacturer: BEECHRegistration: N263CEModel/Series: P35 P35Aircraft Category: AirplaneAmateur Built: NoOperator: On fileOperating Certificate(s) Held: NoneMeteorological Information and Flight PlanConditions at Accident Site: Visual ConditionsCondition of Light: DayObservation Facility, Elevation: MLE, 1050 ft mslObservation Time: 0835 CDTDistance from Accident Site: 0 Nautical MilesTemperature/Dew Point: 29°C / 18°CLowest Cloud Condition: ClearWind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 7 knots, 240°Lowest Ceiling: NoneVisibility: 10 MilesAltimeter Setting: 29.85 inches HgType of Flight Plan Filed: NoneDeparture Point: Omaha, NE (MLE)Destination: Wreckage and Impact InformationCrew Injuries: 1 FatalAircraft Damage: DestroyedPassenger Injuries: 1 FatalAircraft Fire: On-GroundGround Injuries: N/AAircraft Explosion: On-GroundTotal Injuries: 2 FatalLatitude, Longitude: 41.195278, -96.113611

Those who may have information that might be relevant to the National Transportation Safety Board investigation may contact them by email eyewitnessreport@ntsb.gov, and any friends and family who want to contact investigators about the accident should email assistance@ntsb.gov.

OMAHA, Neb. — Dave Steier, 63, and his wife, Arlene Steier, 61, were both private pilots. The couple was killed in a plane crash Sunday at the Millard Airport. Their loss is felt by their family and also the Omaha community who the Steiers touched through planes and politics."Their family and friends and the whole political community is really, really feeling the hurt on this one," said Douglas County Commissioner Mary Ann Borgeson.Borgeson said Arlene was very involved in local politics. The two met when Arlene worked at the election commissioner's office."She really just was one of those mentors for me in the political arena," Borgeson said. "Sweetest lady, best demeanor, very welcoming."Arlene was also involved with the Douglas County Republican Party. Her interests ranged from politics to planes.She and Dave were both private pilots. Arlene was involved with the University of Nebraska-Omaha's Aviation Explorer's program. We spoke to her back in 2013 about sharing her passion with kids."I think it's very cool and I'm absolutely delighted that we can offer this opportunity, because as I've said before, there's fences around airports now and it's difficult for kids to find out what this is about," Arlene Steier said.KETV also spoke with her at an aeronautics camp for kids in 2011."I really enjoy it," Arlene said. "There's nothing like lighting up a kid's eyes with possibilities."Arlene and Dave Steier leave behind four children. Dave Steier comes from a large family. He was one of eight siblings.The family is asking for privacy, but released the following statement to KETV Newswatch 7:"On behalf of the entire Steier and Kemp families, we thank everyone for their personal outreach and support during this difficult time. They were beloved parents, grandparents, son and daughter, neighbors and friends. We love them very much and honor their beautiful memory. We are blessed to have had them, though for too short a time. They made an impact on so many and on the Omaha community."Authorities still do not know who was piloting the plane at the time of Sunday's crash or what caused it to go down.NTSB officials were expected to arrive in Omaha Monday night. They'll hold a news conference at the Millard Airport Tuesday at 10 a.m. to discuss the investigation.Story and video ➤ http://www.ketv.com

OMAHA, Neb. — Dave Steier, 63, and his wife, Arlene Steier, 61, were both private pilots. The couple was killed in a plane crash Sunday at the Millard Airport. Their loss is felt by their family and also the Omaha community who the Steiers touched through planes and politics."Their family and friends and the whole political community is really, really feeling the hurt on this one," said Douglas County Commissioner Mary Ann Borgeson.Borgeson said Arlene was very involved in local politics. The two met when Arlene worked at the election commissioner's office."She really just was one of those mentors for me in the political arena," Borgeson said. "Sweetest lady, best demeanor, very welcoming."Arlene was also involved with the Douglas County Republican Party. Her interests ranged from politics to planes.She and Dave were both private pilots. Arlene was involved with the University of Nebraska-Omaha's Aviation Explorer's program. We spoke to her back in 2013 about sharing her passion with kids."I think it's very cool and I'm absolutely delighted that we can offer this opportunity, because as I've said before, there's fences around airports now and it's difficult for kids to find out what this is about," Arlene Steier said.KETV also spoke with her at an aeronautics camp for kids in 2011."I really enjoy it," Arlene said. "There's nothing like lighting up a kid's eyes with possibilities."Arlene and Dave Steier leave behind four children. Dave Steier comes from a large family. He was one of eight siblings.The family is asking for privacy, but released the following statement to KETV Newswatch 7:"On behalf of the entire Steier and Kemp families, we thank everyone for their personal outreach and support during this difficult time. They were beloved parents, grandparents, son and daughter, neighbors and friends. We love them very much and honor their beautiful memory. We are blessed to have had them, though for too short a time. They made an impact on so many and on the Omaha community."Authorities still do not know who was piloting the plane at the time of Sunday's crash or what caused it to go down.National Transportation Safety Board officials were expected to arrive in Omaha Monday night. They'll hold a news conference at the Millard Airport Tuesday at 10 a.m. to discuss the investigation.Original article can be found here ➤ http://www.ketv.com

OMAHA, Neb. — A man and a woman were killed in a plane crash Sunday at the Millard Airport, investigators confirmed to KETV NewsWatch 7.The victims have been identified as M. David Steier, 63, and Arlene Steier, 61.Rescue crews arrived around 8:50 a.m. and found a small plane on fire at the end of the runway."You could hear the boom outside," said Chad Langford, who was at the baseball fields near 138th Street and Millard Avenue.Authorities said Arlene Steier was thrown from the plane during the crash. Crews transported her to a nearby hospital with CPR in progress. She later died at the hospital, according to an Omaha police official."We just seen all the smoke and all the fire trucks headed that way," added Craig Cox, who was also headed to the baseball fields.Rescuers called for multiple fire engines and rescue squads initially, then scaled back the response after initial crews arrived. A medical helicopter was dispatched and then sent back."Our crews did a great job of locating the victims and then putting the fire out after we got the victim," said Joe Salcedo, assistant fire chief with the Omaha Fire Department.Omaha police, Omaha Airport Authority staff and Federal Aviation Administration investigators were at the crash site for hours Sunday. They began cleaning up the wreckage around 4 p.m., towing the engine and the remaining parts of the plane to sheds at the airport. The Millard Airport was closed Sunday morning and reopened just before 6 p.m."Hate to see that happen," said Phil Frye, who lives near the airport. "Hate to see anybody lose their life over it."Frye's concerns began far before Sunday's deadly scene."(The airport was) here first, as far as the argument goes, but things have changed out here," Frye said. "There's a lot of population around here."He worries for the homes, businesses and kids playing in the area, including those baseball fields near 138th and Millard Avenue, where a student pilot made an emergency landing in January."After that plane landed on our field, yeah, you start to think twice about it and, you know, the thought of having some sort of procedure in place definitely has crossed our mind," said Langford, president of baseball for Millard United Sports.Kids were playing on the fields when the plane went down Sunday morning.It's a worry for parents and Frye, who hopes Sunday's tragedy will turn ignite a conversation."I think it's time to maybe look into additional restrictions or moving the facility," Frye said.The last time the FAA inspected the Millard Airport was in 2015, recording an average of 198 planes landing and taking off each day.The Omaha Airport Authority declined to comment on the airport's logistics until the investigation is complete.National Transportation Safety Board officials are expected to arrive in Omaha Monday evening. Investigators said it could take five days to release a preliminary report, but plan to hold a press conference at 10 a.m. Tuesday to discuss the investigation.

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) -- Authorities now say two people have died in the crash of a small plane at the Millard Airport Sunday morning. The second victim that was critically injured in the accident has since died from her injuries. The victims have been identified as 63-year-old M. David Steier and 61-year-old Arlene Steier.Previously:The crash was reported at approximately 8:45 a.m. on Sunday. First responders arrived to smoke and flames rising for an airport runway.Assistant Omaha Fire Chief Joe Salcedo said, "The plane was fully involved, on fire."Video shot moments after the crash shows a large plume of black smoke as emergency crews were arriving on scene where the small plane had hit the ground and burned.Three medical units were dispatched and a medical helicopter was called.The fire was quickly contained and authorities then confirmed that a man had died in the crash. Omaha Airport Authority Fire Chief Bernie Kanger said, "There is one fatality."A woman was taken to the hospital in serious condition. Dispatch told 6 News that her condition deteriorated while en route to the hospital.Wreckage was strewn across the area as officials began their preliminary investigation.Traffic restrictions were in place as authorities began to piece together what happened. 132nd Street had been shut down between Q and Z but was reopened in both directions later in the morning.The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board have been notified. They will send teams to take over the investigation.The airport was shut down after the crash. Authorities on scene did not specify when operations would resume.Story and video ➤ http://www.wowt.com